Big Top’s Proprietary Tensioned Fabric and Steel Structures

Big Top’s fabric structures are strong enough to protect your equipment, materials, and employees. Our rip-resistant fabric is secured to an ultra-durable steel frame, which is long lasting, rust resistant, and virtually maintenance free. Working in conjunction, these two proprietary elements offer superior protection from the elements.

In addition to being rip resistant, the fabric in our structures is designed to:

Block 99.95 percent of UV-A and UV-B light, prolonging the life of your electronic equipment

Be NFPA701 flame-retardant as stipulated by the International Building Code

Be adaptable to inclement weather thanks to special engineering for heavy wind or snow loads

Companies that use our fabric structures as lunchrooms or safety meeting facilities have the option of including lightning protection as an add-on. This will allow the tensile structure to be classified as a muster station to protect your crew from volatile storms.

Our shelters not only provide ample protection, but they also maintain a comfortable interior climate that is, on average, 15 degrees cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the outside temperature. To further keep your staff comfortable and to protect environmentally sensitive materials, we can build your shelter with an HVAC system and insulation.

With one of our fabric structures, your organization can receive all these benefits and also save on costs when compared to permanent buildings. For instance, our shelters cost less and take less time to build. Plus, they reduce the need for energy usage thanks to the translucent fabric, which allows in plenty of sunshine to illuminate the interior without electric lighting. And, because our shelters can be registered as equipment with the IRS, you may be eligible for tax savings through depreciation.

For more information about the safety features of our proprietary fabric and steel structures, contact Big Top today.

When Huntington-Ingalls Industries, the No.1 name in military shipbuilding in the country, took over the historic Avondale shipyard from a rival company, it acquired structures from Big Top that had been used at the previous facility and recognized the many benefits that the covers provided. To further their goal of becoming one of the most modern shipbuilding companies in the